SQL Server Community

Committed to the worldwide SQL Server Community

LobsterPot proudly supports the Adelaide SQL Server User Group and Melbourne SQL Social group both financially and by encouraging its consultants to deliver high-quality technical presentations to local crowds. As a result, LobsterPot Solutions’ consultants have gone on to deliver sessions at events such as SQL Code Camp, Microsoft TechEd Australia, SQLBits (UK), and the Global PASS Conference in Seattle, as well as user group events all around Australia and beyond, and to other groups, such as .Net and SharePoint groups.

Local SQL Server User Groups

There is immense value in participating in a global network of professionals all committed to creating better database technology. LobsterPot actively supports the Adelaide SQL Server User Group. Rob Farley, LobsterPot’s Principal Consultant, along with his team members, coordinate the meetings and frequently speak on a variety of topics, co-ordinating monthly meetings since 2005. LobsterPot’s connections to worldwide SQL Server experts means that many international speakers have spoken to the group, including Microsoft’s Buck Woody and Conor Cunningham, Paul Randal and Kimberly Tripp, Jessica Moss, Aaron Nelson, Chris Testa-O’Neill, Darren Gosbell, Jonathan Kehayias and Kendra Little. If you would like to get on the mailing list for the group, please Contact Us and we can arrange that.

Almost all of LobsterPot Solutions’ current consultants have presented to the Adelaide SQL Server User Group over the years, as have many previous employees. To learn more about the Adelaide SQL Server User Group, please visit adelaide.sqlpass.org

In addition to LobsterPot’s involvement in the Adelaide group, Martin Cairney founded SQL Social in Melbourne, and continues to lead that group, seeing consistent growth over a number of years.

The Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS)

Regional Mentors

Rob Farley is a Regional Mentor for PASS APAC region. The Regional Mentor Program is in place to help support SQL Server community leaders be more effective in serving the members of their communities.

The PASS Summit

LobsterPot Solutions’ Rob Farley and Martin Cairney, and former employees Mickey Stuewe, Julie Koesmarno and Roger Noble have all presented at the largest SQL Server conference in the world, the PASS Summit, and LobsterPot has a presence at the event every year.

24 Hours of PASS Virtual Conference

24 Hours of PASS is free event that delivers 24 virtual sessions on SQL Server. LobsterPot Solutions began its involvement in 2010 when Rob Farley stepped in at short notice to cover a late cancellation in the schedule. He delivered Session 20, Advanced T-SQL Tuning Techniques. Later in 2010, Rob delivered a session in the following 24 Hours of PASS event, “Understanding SARGability to make your queries run faster.” The session attracted over 100 in attendance and paved the way for LobsterPot’s involvement in the ‘Spring’ 2011 24 Hours of PASS – Celebrating Women in Technology. Rob sat on the steering committee responsible for session selection, event format, and logistics, and later became the Director in charge of the 24HOP portfolio while on the PASS Board.

Other Conferences

SQLBits UK

Even before joining LobsterPot Solutions, Martin Cairney had presented twice at SQLBits in the UK, both in Reading during October 2007, and in Newport in November 2009. Martin spoke about SQL Server security and about the Enterprise Policy Management Framework.

Also in November 2009, Rob Farley travelled to Newport in Wales to deliver an all day, deep-dive preconference session at SQLBits V entitled What’s New For Developers In SQL Server 2008. This was another situation of Rob filling in for a late cancellation. He also delivered two sessions in the main conference there, and received much acclaim for his presentations.

In October 2010, Rob Farley delivered another all day, deep-dive preconference session at SQLBits VII in York, teaching attendees how to fix queries through advanced T-SQL techniques. Rob illustrated real-life queries and took the class through examples of constructs that can have significant effects on tuning. This included complex nested joins, join simplification, procedural functions, SARGability, execution plan reading, complex sorting, ORs, effective Dynamic SQL, GROUP BY v DISTINCT, unique indexes, temporary tables, and more.

Code Camp

Rob Farley has delivered sessions at all four of the SQL Code Camps held in Wagga Wagga, Australia, from 2006 to 2009. In addition, Rob Farley and former employee David Gardiner have both delivered sessions at the Code Camp SA events, held in Adelaide Australia.

Microsoft TechEd Australia

In 2006, Rob Farley stepped up his involvement in Microsoft’s premier Australian conference, and became a Technical Learning Guide, a role which he continued for the next few years. In 2007, Rob was invited to present a breakout session, followed up by sessions in 2008, 2009, and 2013. 2010 saw David Gardiner stepping into the Technical Learning Guide, and he also delivered an Interactive Learning Lab, teaching attendees about .Net technologies. When the conference was rebranded as Microsoft Ignite, Rob and Martin Cairney each gave popular presentation about SQL Server.